Summer sun means one thing: sunglasses. It’s difficult for me to wander through a department store without somehow finding myself in the sunglass section. It’s impossible to ignore all of the fun shapes, colors, styles and designers.
It’s time to say goodbye to your old, boring frames, and hello to a new, funky pair—the funkier the better. Of course, as with any type of fashion, you can pay top dollar for the hottest designers, or find great inexpensive pairs on a budget. We break down nine prominent sunglass styles and offer varying price points for each.
The Cat-eye Style. Cat-eye sunglasses are nothing new, but as the style evolves, so does the popularity. Cat-eye glasses are my personal favorite; the look is flattering on almost every face.
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Fendi, $465
Dior, $430
The Round Style. Round sunglasses can be tricky to pull off. I’ve tried, and sometimes I feel like I’m wearing Harry Potter glasses. But the round style has become more versatile. There are more shapes, ranging from the classic perfect circle to a more rounded square. With all the varying spherical shapes, you’ll be able to find a pair that works with your face.
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Prada, $335
Illesteva, $177
The Aviator Style. Aviators have always been a popular choice for sunglasses. The classic style looks good on almost everyone.
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Dior, $555
Ray Ban, $175
The Mirrored Style. Mirrored lenses have gained a lot of fame recently—you can find plenty of celebrities rocking this trend. Maybe the point of these super-reflective lenses is to be nice by offering a constant mirror to your friends, or maybe they’re made to make you seem less approachable. Whatever the case may be, you can find the mirror lenses in numerous frames and shapes.
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Chanel, $375
Versace, $280
The Reinforced Bridge Style. Glasses with reinforced bridges became popular with Dior’s “So Real” collection. However, the style has grown exponentially through different designers’ variations on the look.
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Dior, $560
Prada, $385
The Wayfarer/ Square Style. The wayfarer look is the classic Ray-Ban look, but it’s been adopted by many different designers, each adding his or her own variation. Although the wayfarer is already pretty square, other square styles have stemmed from the original look. Wayfarers look good on most faces, but squares—like the circle style—can be difficult to pull of, so I advise trying these on before purchasing.
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Ray Ban, $150
The Funky Frames Style. Frames can be fun to play around with. If you don’t like some of the classic shapes mention above, try out something new and wild. There are many different geometric styles to choose from. Whether you’re into the scuba goggle look, the tanning-bed tiny oval shape or the extremely oversized look, you’ll be sure to find the glasses you’re looking for from many popular designers. While it may be easier to find the wilder glasses online, I suggest trying on that funky pair before splurging.
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Chanel, $525
Grey Ant, $345
The Colored Frames/ Lens Style. Another trend, aside from funky-shaped frames, is colored frames. Plain black and tortoise are boring—try on a classic pair with a splash of color. If you’d rather stick to a neutral frame, colored lenses are also popular.
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Illesteva, $220
Diff Eyewear, $50
The Frameless Style. Frameless glasses can be seen more and more today. They’ve been made popular by celebrities and are becoming increasingly in vogue in everyday life. The look can make some people hesitate when purchasing, but they come in so many different shapes that once you try on that perfect pair, you’ll be obsessed, too.
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RETROSUPERFUTURE, $289
Illesteva, $190
